Page 89 of Knightfall
“I’m gonna go follow him,” Declan grinned.
“Why?”
Declan paused at the door. “Oh. I forget. You weren’t here. Well, a few years ago, I was curious. Connor’s power doesn’t have a color when he uses it. And I was wondering about the price. I mean, why should he lose his emotions? If he was just seeing other people’s emotions, you’d expect him to then be kind of obtuse after. To go emotion-blind or something. But we think he actually drinks in emotion a little. Sips it. So, he drinks in others’ emotions and loses his own.”
I bit my lip. That made so much sense. And I’d been gone when they figured it out. I’d missed a huge piece of Connor’s life.
Before guilt could flood me, Declan added, “So, I’m just gonna follow Connor around for a bit, thinking all kinds of dirty thoughts about you. Let him drink that in.”
Quinn gave Declan a huge smile and a nod.
Dec turned to me and winked. “Trust me, we’ll get him turned around.”
A girl could only hope.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The next day was an exercise in caution as I waited to see what Sedara and Cheryn might do.
Ryan had to work with his guards and begin the process of clearing Willard’s province out. Connor got the unhappy task of breaking the news of herd and population relocation to Willard and his mother—though the official stance was water poisoning in the area. Declan stayed at my side, as he could tote his books and ledgers anywhere. And Quinn disappeared off to do whatever he did. Hopefully ferret out the dragon and its keeper.
Since it was a crisp fall day, but decent enough weather, some acrobats had been arranged to perform on the front lawn at luncheon. And then Avia and Abbas were to take a turn around the garden.
Unfortunately, my sister ended up with a stomachache after eating and had to beg off.
Sarding hell.
I had to figure out who could entertain the foreign prince for two hours.
I sat on the grass in my mint green gown, a small gold circlet in my hair. I worried Quinn’s bead beneath my fingers as I scanned the crowd of nobles on the lawn, looking for a suitable victim.
A hand interrupted my view. A strong, wide, dark-skinned hand, with a scar running along one thumb. I looked up to see Abbas smiling down at me. Today, he was dressed in traditional Evaness clothing, so his sculpted pecs were not on display. But his tight breeches left little to the imagination.
Abbas’ dark eyes bore into mine. “Since your sister has sadly been forced to leave us, I wondered if you’d care to join me and show me these magnificent grounds, Your Highness.”
I raised my brows. Not the reaction I’d expected after I’d insulted his magical prowess. Men typically didn’t like to be labeled ‘smallest’ at anything. “Actually, I have—”
“You have plans more important than the pending alliance between our countries?” His tone was soft but lethal.
There it was. That hint of a threat I’d been looking for.
“We do have a lovely group of poinsettias to the east,” I pasted on a smile and let him help me to my feet.
Behind me, Declan struggled to roll his parchment and close all his books.
Abbas tucked my hand over his arm and began to walk to the gravel path. But the distance spell tugged at me and I planted my feet.
“We need to wait for my knight.”
Declan hurriedly gathered his supplies in a bag and slung it over his shoulder.
“You’re perfectly safe with me, Your Highness,” Abbas joked lightly, but his eyes sparked with anger.
I grinned. “I might be. But you are a young, attractive, highly-eligible prince. Did you ever consider you might not be safe with me?”
Abbas’ studied my face as his grin grew. “You’re not the shy flower you were growing up.”
“We’ve met?”
